Degreasing Methods: What is Vapor Pressure Cleaning?

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Degreasing is one of the most common industrial cleaning operations. From engine parts to handheld tools, practically every company and organization that uses equipment that accumulates grease must perform degreasing to keep the equipment in ideal condition for its application. One way that this can be done is vapor pressure cleaning — a process in which pressurized vapor from a cleaning agent powers away tough accumulations of grease.

How Vapor Degreasing Works

Unlike degreasing operations that are performed in open air with the use of aerosols, spray liquids, and wipes, vapor degreasing is performed inside a machine that’s specially designed to vaporize a solvent and pressurize the vapor to make it remove grease from parts that are arranged inside the machine. Below is the basic, eight-part process in which vapor pressure cleaning is used to remove heavy grease from parts and leave them looking practically new.

  1. Work pieces are placed inside the vapor degreasing machine.
  2. Solvent is placed in a basin inside the machine.
  3. The machine is closed for the cleaning process.
  4. The solvent basin’s heating coil vaporizes the solvent.
  5. The machine builds pressure to make the vapor degrease.
  6. Solvent drips away from degreased parts, leaving them clean.
  7. Excess solvent is condensed for recycling or enters a waste trap.
  8. Parts are removed from the machine and re-implemented.

In some cases, the vapor degreasing process also entails rinsing work pieces in a separate chamber inside the machine to ensure no solvent residue remains, spraying work pieces with a solvent before they enter the machine to speed up the cleaning process, and/or using vacuum degreasers when the machine employs a vacuum to vacuum degreasing system.

Benefits of Vapor Degreasing

Regardless of what comprises the vapor pressure cleaning process, performing it properly can offer several important benefits that help the user execute an efficient cleaning operation, ensure that parts are entirely clean, and curb expenditures for industrial degreasing solvent.

  • Eliminates the threat of oxidation and water spots on work pieces
  • Prepares parts for finishing processes such as painting and welding
  • Cleans precision parts faster than manual cleaning operations
  • Offers the opportunity to collect and recycle vapor degreaser

Vapor pressure cleaning is a highly effective method for degreasing precision parts and tools, but two things are always necessary for maximum effectiveness: a parts cleaning machine that facilitates vapor degreasing and using the right type of degreaser for the cleaning process. If you need advice on either requirement, the solvent specialists at Ecolink can help.

Contact Ecolink for Assistance
Vapor degreasing is a simple process that relies on complex machinery and carefully formulated cleaning agents. Because purchasing the vapor pressure cleaning machine and buying solvent is where most of the cost comes in, it is economically imperative to choose the right equipment and cleaner from the start. Using our expertise in parts washing and cleaning solvents, we can help you do this. Just call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use our contact page. We look forward to helping you realize the benefits of vapor degreasing!

Non VOC parts cleaners

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On January 1, 2015, government regulations brought down the curtain on what was previously one of the best non VOC parts cleaners on the market: ECOLINK 3005. Companies phased out the parts cleaner because one of its primary active ingredients, HCFC-225 (a.k.a. AK-225) was phased out due to its ozone depleting potential. However, just because ECOLINK 3005 is no longer a viable cleaning solution doesn’t mean that its cleaning power is off limits, too.

You may be unable to use ECOLINK 3005 in its original form, but you have the alternative of letting us create a custom solvent that has the same applications and benefits of the original but without the use of HCFC-225. With that in mind, let’s do a concise overview of the essential data for ECOLINK 3005 to see if a cleaner that has the same characteristics as its parent solvent would be a good fit for your company or organization’s precision parts cleaning requirements.

Essential Data for ECOLINK 3005
ECOLINK 3005 is an environmentally preferred, ultra high-purity cleaning agent for electrical contacts and precision parts. A custom blend of the cleaner that has the efficacy of ECOLINK 3005 but without the ozone depleting chemical HCFC-225 is an excellent replacement for solutions whose chemicals are more damaging to the environment (e.g., CFC-113, HCFC-141b, HCFC-225) and more toxic to humans (e.g., trichloroethylene and MEK).

A custom blend that improves the environmental safety of ECOLINK 3005 while delivering the same power of the original solution can be used for various cleaning operations that were once performed with solutions that contain the aforementioned chemicals. Applications would include:

  • Removing oil and hydraulic fluid from mechanical equipment
  • Cleaning handling soil from circuits before they are reassembled
  • Removing greasy accumulations from assembly line parts
  • Cleaning fiber optic connectors
  • Buffering gel from fiber optic cables
  • Removing contaminants from transmitters, amplifiers and transceivers
  • Cleaning soil from optical interfaces, electronic interfaces, and drive circuitry
  • Removing airborne dirt from printed circuit boards
  • Insulating residue from selector switches and relays

When used for these applications, a custom blend whose efficacy mirrors ECOLINK 3005’s delivers impressive benefits compared to competing non VOC parts cleaners. Especially noteworthy are the benefits for cleaning parts that are commonly found electrical equipment.

  • Non flammable formulation (i.e., no flashpoint)
  • Exceptionally fast evaporation
  • Excellent degreasing and defluxing power
  • Leaves no residue
  • Safe for various materials, including plastic

For many eco friendly companies and organizations, ECOLINK 3005 was the premier option among non VOC parts cleaners for maintaining the surface integrity of electrical contacts and precision parts. However, because HCFC-225 was phased out at the beginning of 2015, using the solvent hasis no longer been an option. There is, however, the option of having Ecolink create a custom cleaner that delivers the power of ECOLINK 3005 without using HCFC-225.

Contact Us for a Custom Solution
In addition to supplying stock cleaning solutions, we formulate custom solutions that are tailored to the needs of specific customers. If you need the cleaning capabilities of ECOLINK 3005 in a solution that is free of HCFC-225, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or complete the contact form on our website. We look forward to providing options for non VOC parts cleaners!

Need a Circuit Board Flux Remover? Consider Using Hypersolve™

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Flux removal is a procedure in which flux that is applied to metal to protect it during a heat treating process is removed to improve the integrity of the metal. If flux isn’t applied in the first place, the integrity of the metal can also suffer, particularly from the development of oxidation that results from a change in the metal’s microstructure during heat treatment. In the creation of circuit boards, both flux and flux remover are needed to create a perfect, finished product.

Choosing a Circuit Board Flux Remover
Metallic components in circuit boards are fused together through soldering — a metallurgical process in which “two or more items are joined together by melting and putting a filler metal into the joint, the filler metal having a lower melting point than the adjoining metal” (Wikipedia). After the soldering process is complete, flux residue is removed using flux remover. If you need a circuit board flux remover, using Hypersolve™ offers the following six benefits, among others.

1. Compatible With Many Metals

When Hypersolve™ is properly stabilized, it is non-corrosive to many metals that are commonly used for the composition of circuit boards, including brass, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium. The more metals a flux remover is compatible with, the less likely that it will need to be replaced due to changes in circuit board composition through the release of new products.

2. Efficacy Similar to Trichloroethylene

Hypersolve™ delivers the same flux removal power as Trichloroethylene without all of the negative effects of Trichloroethylene, as assessed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, it should be noted that one of the primary, active ingredients in Hypersolve, Bromopropane, has its own safety issues, being classified by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen”.

Consequently, use of Bromopropane solvents is best suited to entities that use them in relatively low volume, have a special filtration system that removes airborne contaminants from the work environment, and outfits workers with the proper level of personal protective equipment (PPE) for working with Bromopropane.

3. No Flashpoint

Based on standard ASTM procedures, Hypersolve™ has no flashpoint. This makes the cleaner exceptionally safe to use and store in environments where potential sources of fire ignition are present. If a fire does occur in your facility, your store of Hypersolve™ won’t react like a solvent that has a low flashpoint and adds fire to the flames.

4. Low Ozone Depletion Potential

Unlike many Trichloroethylene-based cleaners, Hypersolve™ has a low ozone depletion potential (ODP), which classifies it as an environmentally friendly circuit board flux remover. This makes Hypersolve™ a great option for entities that are located in low emission zones (LEZs), where there are tighter caps on chemical emissions than normal.
5. Fast Evaporation

Hypersolve™ evaporates quickly, which helps protect metallic circuit board parts from oxidizing and produces minimal solvent waste, which in turn helps to reduce waste disposal costs. Thanks to its fast dry-to-dry cycle, the cleaner can serve as a as a rinse/drying agent for slow drying hydrocarbon solvents.
Contact Ecolink Today
For additional information on the benefits of Hypersolve™ as a circuit board flux remover, or to request a free sample of the solution to test it for your flux removal needs, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website. We look forward to supplying you with an eco friendly solution that is perfect for your circuit board flux remover requirements.

Safety Solvent Degreasers: What are Their Essential Characteristics?

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All industrial grade degreasers have one thing in common: They excel at cutting through tough accumulations of grease and leaving the material underneath free of greasy residue. However, apart from this basic trait, industrial degreasers differ markedly in several ways, one of the most obvious of which is their safety profile. Sometimes referred to as “safety solvent degreasers,” degreasers that have an excellent safety profile have the following essential characteristics.

  1. No Hazardous Air Pollutants

Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are harmful to human health and can have a negative impact on the environment. Old generation degreasers that contain HAPs are often cheaper than newer, safer degreasers, but the money you save can be a pittance compared to the cost of settling lawsuits and paying workers compensation claims due to chemical injuries in the workplace. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains an official list of HAPs.

  1. Low Volatile Organic Compound Content

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are naturally occurring substances that typically vaporize at room temperature. However, their compositional instability isn’t the only thing that makes them “volatile”. They can also be volatile to human health, especially when they vaporize in high volume. This is why it is essential to use a degreaser that has no VOCs or low VOC content.

  1. High Flash Point

A degreaser that has a high flashpoint is harder to ignite than a degreaser that has a low flashpoint. If the degreasing process occurs in an environment that has heat sources that could ignite the cleaning solution, using a cleaning agent that has a high flash point or no flashpoint is absolutely essential. This type of agent also supports fire safety in the degreaser storage area.

  1. Safe for Material That is Degreased

When they shop for safety solvent degreasers, end users typically focus on finding degreasers that have an excellent safety profile for workers. But it is also important to consider the safety of degreasers in terms of their compatibility with the material that must be degreased. In addition to being safe for workers, a degreaser should be safe for the material that you need to clean.

  1. Safe for Parts Washing Systems

If you need a degreaser for a parts washing system, it is important to choose one that is as compatible with the equipment as it is with the material that must be degreased. Industrial parts washers are often comprised of different types of metal, plastic and rubber. Be sure to choose a degreaser that is compatible with any material in the parts washer that the degreaser contacts.

Shopping for Safety Solvent Degreasers?
Using safety solvent degreasers helps companies and organizations avoid the dangers of using degreasers that have a poor safety profile. In addition to posing minimal harm to workers and the environment, as safety solvent degreaser also has the characteristics of being safe for the material that is cleaned and the method of cleaning (e.g., using a parts washer). For assistance selecting safe degreasers for your cleaning operations, call Ecolink today at (800) 563-1305.

1 Bromopropane Substitution: Frequently Asked Questions

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1 bromopropane (a.k.a. n-propyl bromide and nPB) is a chemical compound that is used as a solvent for broad array of applications, including: asphalt production, dry cleaning, aviation equipment maintenance, synthetic fiber manufacturing, manufacturing products that have foam cushions, electronic circuit board soldering, and degreasing plastics, optics, and certain types of metal.

1 bromopropane is highly effective for these endeavors, but studies of its chemical profile and documented reports of injuries it causes to animals and humans have moved state and federal regulatory agencies to consider it a hazardous solvent. Consequently, many companies and organizations are in the process of 1 bromopropane substitution, replacing the solvent with one that delivers the same efficacy but without the toxic effects.

Questions About 1 Bromopropane Substitution
If your company or organization is considering 1 bromopropane substitution, you may have some questions about why and how to replace the solvent. If so, take time to read through the questions below. If you have additional questions, please contact Ecolink at (800) 563-1305.

If nPB is safer than solvents it replaced, why shouldn’t it be used?
Although nPB is widely considered safer than chlorinated solvents it replaced, well-documented scientific studies and reports have shown that nPB has a dubious safety profile, too. Many highly effective solvents that are the “lesser of two evils” have been gradually phased out under the same circumstances; nPB is simply one of the most recent ones.

What health conditions could result from chronic exposure to nPB?
In its latest Report on Carcinogens (RoC), the National Toxicology Program (NTP) classifies nPB as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” In addition to potentially causing cancer, chronic nPB exposure is known to cause neurological conditions and damage to the central nervous system (CNS) that remain after exposure ends.

If nPB is so dangerous, why isn’t it severely regulated or banned?
Chemicals often undergo a three-part process before they are phased out in industrial settings. First, they are “listed” as “reportable” because they are dangerous. Second, they are “regulated”. Third, they are “banned”. nPB may be severely regulated or banned in the future. Right now, it is listed as a reportable chemical by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which means that its use must be reported if it rises above a predetermined threshold.

What are my options for acquiring a drop-in replacement for nPB?
Because nPB has a wide range of use, the best way to acquire a drop-in replacement is to consult with a provider of eco friendly, industrial grade cleaning solvents, such as Ecolink. Once we understand how you use nPB and how much you use, we can suggest a replacement option that is perfect for your needs: a stock product or a custom product that can be “dropped in” to replace nPB without disrupting your cleaning operations and causing halts in productivity.

To get started on selecting a safe, effective nPB replacement for your solvent operations, give us a call today at (800) 563-1305, or fill out the contact form on our website. We look forward to assisting you with the process of 1 bromopropane substitution.